VEGETABLE GARDENING 



upper edges, the boards may be brought as close 

 together as the tops of the plants will permit. From 

 10 to 20 days are required for blanching, depending 

 mainly upon weather conditions. In warm, humid 

 weather blanching proceeds much more rapidly than at 

 lower temperatures. A light furrow of soil is often 

 thrown along the lower edges of the boards to exclude 

 the light. The boards are shifted to other rows as the 

 crop is marketed. Thus the same boards may be used 



FIG. 78. CELERY BLANCHED WITH BOARDS 



half a dozen or more times during the season. Between 

 seasons the lumber should be stored in the dry or stacked 

 in flat piles, as in lumber yards. With good care, sound 

 boards will last at least 15 years. Figure 78 shows a row 

 which was blanched by this method. 



Paper may also be used in blanching. A machine has 

 been devised which first places a strip of paper against 

 the row and then throws soil against the paper. The 

 individual plants may also be wrapped by hand with 

 brown paper, although this is a tedious operation. 



